Geranium plant named ‘Toscat0542’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant named ‘Toscat0542’, characterized by its semi-double type, white and red-purple bicolored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Pelargonium x hortorum.

Variety denomination: ‘Toscat0542’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant botanically known as Pelargonium x hortorum and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Toscat0542’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, The Netherlands during August 2013. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Geranium cultivars that flower uniformly with attractive flower coloration and a moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.

The new Geranium cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is FLOWER FAIRY White Splash ‘Swewhi’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,405, characterized by its semi-double type, pale pink and red-purple bicolored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and vigorous, upright to rounded growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is AMERICANA Pink Mega Splash ‘Amri Pikegs’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,481, characterized by its single type, pink-colored flowers having bold red-purple blotch, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright and rounded growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during May 2014 in a controlled environment in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since May 2014 in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, The Netherlands, Arroyo Grande, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Toscat0542’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant:

-   -   1. Semi-double type, white and red-purple bicolored flowers;     -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in having larger leaves, slightly different flower color and lower growth vigor. Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the male parent primarily in having a different flower type, slightly different flower color and darker leaf color.

Of the many commercially available Geranium cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is Dynamo Raspberry Sizzle ‘KLEPZ07197’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,036. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘KLEPZ07197’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color different from         plants of ‘KLEPZ07197’;     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar smaller diameter umbels than         plants of ‘KLEPZ07197’; and     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have larger leaves than plants of         ‘KLEPZ07197’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Toscat0542’. The plants were grown in 4.5-inch pots for 9 weeks in a greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Toscat0542’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual umbel of ‘Toscat0542’.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of an individual leaf of ‘Toscat0542’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in December 2016 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in West Chicago, Ill. in 4.5-inch pots for 9 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.) during the day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium x hortorum cultivar     Toscat0542. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—FLOWER FAIRY White Splash ‘Swewhi’, U.S.             Plant Pat. No. 20,405.         -   Male parent.—AMERICANA Pink Mega Splash ‘Amri Pikegs’, U.S.             Plant Pat. No. 20,481. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 9 to 12 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 24 to 28             days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 8 to 9 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             upright-mounded.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 21.0 cm. Height from soil level to top of             foliage: Approximately 14.5 cm. Width: Approximately 24.0             cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching. Quantity of main             branches per plant: Approximately 4.         -   Branch.—Strength: Strong. Length: Approximately 5.5 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 7.0 mm. Length of central internode:             Approximately 8.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with a             mixture of glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland color:             Colorless, transparent. Color of young and mature stem:             146C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per lateral branch:             Approximately 8. Fragrance: Slight. Form: Simple.             Arrangement: Opposite.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Petiole is at an acute angle to stem, blade             is primarily perpendicular to stem. Shape: Reniform. Margin:             Bicrenate, palmately lobed, somewhat wavy. Apex: Obtuse.             Base: Cordate. Venation pattern: Palmate. Length of mature             leaf: Approximately 9.5 cm. Width of mature leaf:             Approximately 10.5 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and             nonglandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless, transparent.             Color of upper surface of young foliage: Closest to 137A             with venation of 146C. Color of lower surface of young             foliage: 147B with venation of 146D. Color of upper surface             of mature foliage: Closest to NN137A with venation of 146B,             no zonal coloration observed. Color of lower surface of             mature foliage: Closest to 147B with venation of 146D.         -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 6.5 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 2.5 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with a             mixture of glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland color:             Colorless, transparent. Color: 146B. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Toscat0542’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in             greenhouse environment.         -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately             12 to 14 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Umbel, semi-spherical. Positioned             above foliage. Quantity of fully open umbels per plant:             Approximately 2. Quantity of developing umbels per plant:             Approximately: 1. Fragrance: None detected. Length or             height: Approximately 6.5 cm. Width: Approximately 10.0 cm.             Quantity of fully open flowers per inflorescence:             Approximately 13.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 12.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm.             Texture: Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and             nonglandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless, transparent.             Color: 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Semi-double.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 3 to 4 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Elliptic. Length:             Approximately 1.3 cm. Width: Approximately 6.0 mm. Sepal             texture: Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and             nonglandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless, transparent.             Petal texture: Glabrous. Petal color: 56D.         -   Corolla.—Shape: Round. Diameter: Approximately 5.0 cm.             Depth: Approximately 2.4 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: Approximately 5 to 6 petals and 3 to 5             irregularly-shaped petaloids per flower. Shape: Obovate.             Appearance: Dull. Margin: Entire. Apex: Obtuse. Base:             Attenuate. Length of upper petals: Approximately 2.9 cm.             Width of upper petals: Approximately 2.5 cm. Length of lower             petals: Approximately 2.7 cm. Width of lower petals:             Approximately 2.7 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Glabrous. Color of upper surface of upper petals when fully             open: NN155D with a central spot of N66C and venation of 71A             at base; NN155D often tinted with N66D when opening. Color             of lower surface of upper petals when fully open: NN155D             venation of 71B at base. Color of upper surface of lower             petals when fully open: NN155D with a central spot of N66A.             Color of lower surface of lower petals when fully open:             NN155D.         -   Calyx.—Shape: 5-pointed star. Diameter: Approximately 2.3             cm.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Approximately 5, fused at base.             Shape: Lanceolate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acuminate. Length             of upper sepal: Approximately 1.1 cm. Width of upper sepal:             Approximately 4.0 mm. Length of lower sepals: Approximately             1.2 cm. Width of lower sepals: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture             of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface:             Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and             nonglandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless, transparent.             Color of upper and lower surfaces: 144A.         -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Acute angle to peduncle.             Length: Approximately 2.3 cm. Diameter: Approximately             2.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with a mixture of             glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless,             transparent. Color: 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity of mature stamens:             Approximately 6 to 8 per flower. Anther shape: Oblong.             Anther length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Anther color: 71B.             Filament length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Filament color:             NN155D with an overlay of 71A near anther. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: 32A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1             per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 9.0 mm. Stigma             shape: 5 branched. Stigma length: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Stigma color: 186A. Style length: Approximately 3.0 mm.             Style color: 155B. Ovary length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Ovary             texture: Densely pubescent. Ovary color: 144A. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Geranium has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant named ‘Toscat0542’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 